The effects of cultural behavior on the evacuation of the first residential towers built in Iran (case study: Saman twin towers from the 1970s in Tehran)

The first high-rise residential buildings in Iran were constructed in the 1970s. These buildings have safety deficiencies, and a significant population, particularly elderly individuals, still reside in them. This research aims to examine safe evacuation strategies by identifying behavioral patterns of residents in high-rise residential buildings. The Saman Twin Towers in Tehran have been selected as a case study for this research. Behavioral patterns of residents were assessed using descriptive and inferential questionnaires. Based on the questionnaire results, various evacuation scenarios were simulated using SFPE and steering methods. In these scenarios, various solutions have been examined for the placement of vertical and horizontal accesses. Regarding behavioral patterns, the results indicate that pre-evacuation time in Iran is up to twice as long as the global average. Additionally, the movement of families and familiar individuals during evacuation, while maintaining distance from other groups, is among the most important behavioral patterns. In terms of evacuation scenarios, consideration of two refuge floors along with two sky bridges at the 1/3 beginning and end of the building height would reduce the evacuation time by up to 30% compared to other scenarios. In this research, the PADM model was proposed for high-rise residential buildings in Iran. The most important behavioral patterns during evacuation were identified. Furthermore, these patterns were utilized in simulating evacuation scenarios and optimizing the placement of refuge floors and sky bridges. •The pre-evacuation time for residential buildings in Tehran was presented.•The tendency curve of individuals to use elevators based on their floor location was presented.•Behavioral patterns of residents during evacuation were obtained.•The PADM model was proposed for residential high-rise buildings in Tehran.•Simulation was conducted using behavioral patterns.